Doctoral Program Handbook

The deadline for domestic applicants is December 1 and the deadline for international applications is November 1. We begin reviewing applications December 1st and admit students until the student cohort is full. Faculty can only review complete applications. Applicants are encouraged to check the status of their application materials online through Graduate Admissions.

All applicants for the PhD program are required to submit the following materials to Graduate Admissions via the online application:

1. A completed Graduate School application
2. Transcripts of all prior academic work*
3. At least three letters of recommendation, preferably from faculty or researchers, assessing the applicant’s potential for doctoral-level work*
4. A personal statement summarizing the applicant’s preparation, career goals, and primary research interests as they relate to our PhD program*
5. A resume or CV. Be sure to include work experience, volunteer activities, academic and professional honors, honorary societies, extracurricular activities, any publications, and other significant activities*

6. Graduate Record Examination (GRE) General Aptitude Test scores

*NOTE: If you choose not to attach these materials when completing the online application, you may attach them later, using the online uploader.

English proficiency testing requirements for international applicants.

An applicant must submit documentation that demonstrates, at a minimum, fulfillment of the following admission criteria:

• An earned baccalaureate or graduate/professional degree from an accredited college or university by the expected date of entry
• A minimum of 3.0 cumulative point-hour ratio (on a 4.0 scale) in all previous undergraduate work or in the last degree earned.
• Prerequisite training that will enable the student to pursue the graduate program to which admission is sought 
• A score on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) of 100 or greater is preferred on the Internet Based TOEFL (This requirement applies to applicants from a country where the first language is not English, unless a degree was earned from an English-speaking institution. Additional TOEFL information and minimum university score requirements may be found online.)
• A clear and concise personal statement that outlines how the applicant’s research interests and career goals fit with our program
• Strong letters of support, preferably from university faculty members or researchers, commenting on the applicant’s potential for success in a rigorous academic program]
• Graduate Record Examination (GRE) General Aptitude Test scores which, when considered along with the above information, indicate the applicant’s ability to complete a rigorous program of doctoral studies

Personal statements are important, as they provide the applicant with an opportunity to make an overall case that they are a good fit for our program.

Statements should be no more than three single-spaced pages and should be well written.

Specifically, the personal statement should describe the applicant’s preparation, career goals, and primary research interests as they relate to our PhD program:

1. Preparation: Describe your preparation for doctoral study in public policy and management. Have you taken courses related to government, research methods, or some other key feature of our curriculum? Did you do well in those courses? Do you have research experience? Do you have professional experience that has helped prepare you for doctoral study?

2. Career goals: Describe your career goals. Do you wish to become an academic or perhaps a researcher in another setting? Explain how learning to conduct high-quality public policy and management results might help you realize those goals.

3. Research interests: Describe in specific terms (e.g., “non-profit management,” “policy evaluation,” etc.) what your research interests are, and identify some of our faculty who do research that is of interest to you. Do not feel obligated to identify specific research questions, and you are surely not committing to any specific topics you might provide. But it is very important that we can determine from your personal statement whether we have the faculty capacity to help you become a successful scholar.

Graduate associates are hired for research, teaching, and administrative positions in the John Glenn College of Public Affairs.  Students supported through College funds must be enrolled full-time and make adequate progress toward a PhD. The awards are academically based. Grade point averages are initial criteria used in evaluating candidates. Additional consideration is given to pertinent work experience and special skills. Graduate associateships are also available campus-wide. Students may be apprised of new positions through our PhD email listserv and Buckeye Careers Network, our web-based searchable job/internship database linked on our Career Services web page. Many Glenn College faculty members also have funded projects. Students interested in working with a particular faculty member on a funded project are encouraged to reach out to the faculty member directly. Note that graduate students for whom English is not the first language must certify their proficiency in spoken English before assuming Graduate Teaching Associate (GTA) duties.

In an effort to become a national leader in creating an institutional environment for women to study and work which allows them to reach their full potential as scholars and professionals, The Ohio State University has established the Critical Difference for Women program. There are several scholarships funded under this program, including professional development grants, re-entry scholarships, and grants for conducting research on women.

Federal Direct PLUS Loan for Graduate Students

To qualify for the Federal Direct PLUS Student Loan, you must demonstrate financial need through filing the Financial Aid Form (FAFSA) and then submitting a Graduate PLUS Application to the Student Financial Aid Office. 

Guaranteed Student Loans

These student loans are obtained through your local bank or lending institution. Loan repayment commences six months after leaving school, at which point you will begin to pay interest and repay principal. The interest rates have been less than conventional loan rates, but more than the National Direct Student Loan rates. The processing of the application for the Guaranteed Student Loan usually takes six weeks or longer for out-of-state students. Consult your local lending institution for applications and guidelines.

Short-Term and Long-Term University Loans

These loans are designed for emergency needs related to educational expenses and require an application. For more information about application processes, borrowing limits, and repayment terms for short- and long-term university loans please see the Student Financial Aid Office’s information on Loan Programs.

The Ohio State University Graduate School’s Presidential Fellowship is the most prestigious award given by the Graduate School to recognize the outstanding scholarly accomplishments and potential of graduate students entering the final phase of their dissertation research or terminal degree project. 

The K. Patricia Cross Future Leaders Award recognizes graduate students who show exemplary promise as leaders of higher education, whose work reflects a strong emphasis on teaching and learning, and who demonstrate a commitment to developing academic and civic responsibility in themselves and others. Deadline: October 1. Contact: Suzanne Hyers, (202) 387-3760.

The Alumni Grants for Graduate Research and Scholarship (AGGRS) provide up to $2,000 for dissertation research support to doctoral candidates without other research support from their department or advisor.

The Edward J. Ray Travel Award for Scholarship and Service (Ray Award) provides reimbursement or partial reimbursement for expenses incurred during travel to conferences and meetings to present original research. The Ray Award gives substantial weight to the applicant's service to their department, the university, and the surrounding community. 

The Pelotonia Fellowship Program provides two-year research fellowships for up to 16 of the best and brightest Ohio State graduate students who want to help cure cancer. Cancer is a complex disease and curing it will take a multidisciplinary effort. So, no matter what the field of study, from traditional scientific fields to fields such as business, history, and engineering, all graduate students may apply.

The college encourages PhD students to pursue scholarly research while enrolled in the doctoral program. The Glenn College PhD Student Small Research Grant provides up to $2,000 annually to help support doctoral student research through a competitive application process that takes place during spring semester of the academic year. Students may submit proposals for research funding of $200 to $1,000. More than one student may be awarded funding in a given competition, not to exceed $2,000 total to be allocated each year, unless additional funds are made available. Funds can be used to support a variety of research activities such as the purchase of data, original data collection, and travel expenses related to data collection. Small Research Grant funding cannot be used to cover stipends or supplemental compensation to the applicant. This funding is not intended to support conference travel expenses. For more information on conference funding, please refer to the PhD Conference Funding Policy and Procedures document in Appendix IV.

Each year, the Robert W. Backoff Research Award recognizes outstanding scholarship by a doctoral student in the John Glenn College of Public Affairs. This is a non-monetary honor that is awarded each year at our pre-commencement ceremony. To be eligible for this award, students must be in good standing (as of April 15th) and not yet hold the degree of PhD. Papers either submitted for publication or accepted for publication during the current academic year are eligible. Co-authored papers are also eligible, but the paper submission should include a letter from at least one coauthor that details the nominee’s contribution. Students can nominate their own work.

A faculty committee judges papers according to the following criteria:

• Advancement of knowledge
• Significance of the topic for public affairs
• Quality of the research
• Analysis and interpretation of the findings (if applicable)
• Clarity and organization of the writing
• Selectivity/quality/reputation of the publication
• Relevant to the nominee’s areas of study in the doctoral program

The Glenn College maintains a state-of-the art computer lab and workspace exclusively for doctoral students. There is an additional computer lab open to all Glenn College graduate students in room 030. The computers in room 040 are also available when no class is in session. Computer labs are typically available 24 hours a day and include printers.

Ohio State’s Library is one of the largest in the nation, with a collection of over six million volumes. These holdings, housed in the campus’s main library (Thompson) and 15 on-campus branch libraries are supplemented by over 100,000 serial subscriptions, including nearly all of the important scholarly journals essential to advanced research. The university’s library system is augmented by the State Library of Ohio, OhioLINK, the Columbus Metropolitan Library, and the research library of Battelle Memorial Institute, all located within minutes of campus. Additionally, the library system employs one of the world’s most sophisticated information search and retrieval systems, which offers both standard and customized searches of information and databases throughout the world. This system permits students to determine quickly the location, circulation status, and availability of all materials. Materials may also be checked out and delivered to campus addresses quickly via electronic request from collections of cooperating research libraries throughout Ohio and the nation.

The Glenn College has a dedicated public affairs librarian, Kay Clopton, to assist with customized searches, orders, and training, as well as a Public Policy Archivist, Carly Dearborn.

The faculty strongly encourages student participation in professional organizations as a means of career development. The Glenn College has a fund to provide some financial support for student participation in scholarly meetings to present papers and participate in other related activities if the student is on the conference program. Students should submit requests for travel funding to the Director of Doctoral Studies, as outlined in the PhD Student Conference Funding Policy and Procedures document included as Appendix V. Students are responsible for having all the necessary permissions and university paperwork submitted before incurring any expenses related to the conference.

Ohio State offers Student Health Insurance providing coverage for students who wish to use the university Health Service clinics. Insurance premiums are paid each term along with instructional fees. Premiums vary with the type of coverage. Students may request individual, individual-plus-spouse, or family coverage. It is the responsibility of the student to stay informed and up-to-date about their chosen health care benefits.

Housing is available on campus in two residence halls reserved for graduate, professional, and non-traditional students. The residence halls provide single furnished rooms with access to vending machines, laundry, and kitchen facilities. Information and applications can be obtained by contacting University Housing.

In addition, students may seek off-campus or family housing. Off-Campus and Commuter Student Services maintains a listing service of over 300 area apartments, including students searching for roommates. Limited family housing is available in university-owned Buckeye Village, approximately one mile from campus. A university bus service is available for students to travel to and from campus at no charge. The Office of International Affairs also provides additional assistance to international students in need of temporary housing upon arrival. The Public Affairs Student Association (PASA) Facebook page also serves as an informal resource for housing and other tips.

The John Glenn College is committed to student success and well-being. While maintaining flexibility in working with individual students to determine the most fitting response to a particular student’s situation, the John Glenn College observes the following Graduate School recommendations for graduate associate paid leave. Paid leave applies to graduate associates enrolled in courses and making progress toward course, appointment, and program requirements.

• Personal Leave. A period of up to 10 business days per year (two weeks per year) for vacation and/or personal reasons may be taken. Personal leave does not accrue.
• Parental Leave. Up to 3 weeks of leave may be granted for childbirth or adoption. Up to 3 additional weeks may be requested for health recovery of the birth mother.  Parental leave does not accrue.

To request a paid leave of absence

1. Complete the Graduate School Request for leave – funded graduate students form.
2. Attach the form and make a request in writing (via email) as promptly as possible to 1) your immediate academic advisor and 2) your administrative supervisor (the Doctoral Studies Committee Chair for PhD students, Director of Student Services for Glennterns)

The GA Leave Review Committee consisting of the student advisor, administrative supervisor, college HR rep, Associate Dean for Curriculum, Associate Dean for Faculty and Research, and the Chief Administrative Officer will meet to review the leave request.  Once a decision has been made, the GA supervisor will notify the student via email to include a copy of the completed leave form with any additional terms.  For records retention purposes, PhD requests will be stored in a “student affairs” folder in the restricted PhD folder and master’s degree requests will be stored in a restricted master’s degree folder.  HR will also have a backup folder containing the forms and email notifications. 

Parking without a parking permit is not permitted in any Ohio State parking lot. Students may purchase an Ohio State parking permit at the CampusParc Customer Service Center located in the South Campus Gateway at 1560 N. High Street. Please refer to CampusParc for full details about permit eligibility and prices. Permits may also be purchased online.

Child care is available for Ohio State students and employees. Please visit the Office of Human Resources’ Child Care Program website for more information.

If you are pregnant and would like to pursue university resources and/or accommodations, you will need to reach out to several individuals and offices, as soon as possible:

1. Contact your academic advisor and administrative supervisor (the Doctoral Studies Committee Chair for PhD students, Director of Student Services for Glennterns)
2. Complete the Graduate School Request for leave – funded graduate students form.
3. Attach the form and make a request in writing (via email) as promptly as possible to 1) your immediate academic advisor and 2) your administrative supervisor (the Doctoral Studies Committee Chair for PhD students, Director of Student Services for Glennterns)
4. Contact OSU Integrated Absence Management and Vocational Services for leave related to a medical condition.  Note, medical paperwork should only be sent to IAMVS. Also, please be aware that FML requests are typically denied by IAMVS but making the request is an important step in the process and necessary for maximizing available resources and benefits. 
5. Contact Student Health Insurance  for any questions regarding your health benefits. 
6. Reach out to OSU HR, contact the Glenn College’s Human Resources Consultant, Matthew Busser, if you are unable to contact any of the offices listed above.  

Other resources related to research are available to doctoral students on the Columbus campus of Ohio State. Some of the research centers on the Ohio State campus that may be relevant to our students include the following:

• Battelle Center for Science, Engineering and Public Policy
• Center for Interdisciplinary Law and Policy Studies
• Center for Health Outcomes, Policy, and Evaluation Studies
• Center for Human Resources Research
• Center for Urban and Regional Analysis
• Criminal Justice Research Center
• Drug Enforcement and Policy Center
• Institute for Population Research
• Kirwan Institute for the Study of Race and Ethnicity
• Mershon Center for International Security Studies
• Ohio Education Research Center
• Ohio State Center for Real Estate

Full Listing

The Ohio State University is a large, resource-rich institution. As such, there are a multitude of resources available to support a wide variety of professional and personal situations.  If you need access to resources, please visit  Ohio State Consultation and Consulting Service , or reach out to your academic advisor, administrative supervisor (the Doctoral Studies Committee Chair for PhD students, Director of Student Services for Glennterns), or the Glenn College Human Resources Consultant, Matthew Busser (busser.2).

The graduate and professional student (GPS) ombudsperson is an independent, confidential*, impartial, and informal resource for all graduate and professional students for resolving issues and conflicts, and for exploring options and making important decisions.

The primary mission of the GPS ombudsperson is to support graduate and professional students in addressing issues and challenges they may face in their academic and professional careers at OSU. The GPS ombudsperson addresses issues and challenges that students may face with faculty and advisors, within their programs or within the university at large, with the goal of supporting a positive learning and work environment and advancing fairness and equity for graduate and professional students. The GPS ombuds also serves postdoctoral scholars.

* Please note that, while the ombudsperson provides confidential support resources for a wide variety of issues, the ombudsperson has reporting obligations with the Office of Institutional Equity related to sexual misconduct and discrimination complaints. Thus, while the ombudsperson will discuss concerns in these areas with sensitivity and keep your information as private as possible, confidentiality cannot be guaranteed. For confidential resources for concern in these areas, please contact a confidential counselor.

The PhD curriculum incorporates a wide array of courses and experiences to provide students with the foundation necessary to advance public policy and management research and practice. The Glenn College doctoral seminars are concentrated in five core areas of instruction:  public affairs foundations and inquiry, public policy processes and analysis, public sector economics, organizational theory and behavior, and research design and methods. These core areas provide a common body of knowledge and skills for all doctoral students with an eye toward careers in multidisciplinary research environments.

Students have considerable flexibility in designing their remaining program of study, which requires four elective methods courses and three or more elective courses to develop specialized expertise in a focus area.  Examples of focus areas include public management, nonprofit management, public economics, public finance, energy and environmental policy, education and workforce policy, housing policy, health policy, food policy, and management science. A (non-exhaustive) listing and description of courses appears below.

The main restrictions are that methods courses in a focus area do not count towards the three-course requirement, and at least two of the four methods courses must be in statistics or econometrics. The Doctoral Studies Committee makes decisions on a case-by-case basis as to whether a student can count prior coursework toward these requirements (e.g., students with master’s degrees in an area of focus or that involved substantial methodological coursework). Most of these courses are offered outside of the Glenn College, with the exception of PUBAFRS 7571, “Multivariate Data Analysis,” an introductory econometrics course that is taught at the graduate level. This course is an appropriate first course for students without a strong prior background in regression analysis. The college also offers PUBAFRS 7572 “Policy Simulation and Modeling,” PUBAFRS 7573 “Qualitative Methods for Public Affairs,” and PUBAFRS 7574 “Mixed Methods Approaches for Policy-Related Research.”

Upon entering the program, students initially work with the Director of Doctoral Studies, who assists them in scheduling courses and in becoming familiar with the college and its doctoral program. By the end of the second year of enrollment in the PhD program, students select a faculty advisor and, together with that advisor, plan a program of study designed to complete the core curriculum and elective coursework.

It is crucial to keep apprised of the structures and requirements in place for graduate study at The Ohio State University. The most important resource is the Graduate School Handbook, which is the authoritative source outlining all enrollment, residency, and examination requirements, procedures, and deadlines. It is the responsibility of the student to be aware of and adhere to all university and Graduate School policies, procedures, and deadlines.

(Excerpted from the Graduate School Handbook, July 29, 2024)

A minimum of 80 graduate credit hours beyond the baccalaureate degree is required to earn a PhD or DMA degree.

If a master’s degree has been earned by the student, then a minimum of 50 graduate credit hours beyond the master’s degree is required. If the master’s degree was earned at another university, then up to 30 of its graduate credit hours may be transferred to this institution, provided that the hours in question are in alignment with the graduate program’s curriculum. If the master’s degree was earned at this institution but in a graduate program other than the student’s doctoral program, the student must request, via GRADFORMS, that up to 30 master’s hours be counted toward the doctoral degree.  If a doctoral student has taken a master’s degree at this university and has earned graduate credit in excess of the minimum required for that degree, the student’s advisor, with the approval of the Graduate Studies Committee, notifies the Graduate School of the courses to be counted toward the 50 graduate credit hours required for the doctoral degree. It is recommended that this notification occur by the end of the first semester beyond completion of a master’s degree, but no later than the student’s final semester in the PhD or DMA degree program. Of the 50 post-master’s hours, at least 24 graduate hours must be taken at this university.

A student must be registered for at least three graduate credit hours during the autumn or spring semester(s) or summer term(s) of the candidacy examination, the autumn or spring semester or summer term of the final oral examination, and the autumn or spring semester or summer term of expected graduation.

The course load is determined by the nature of the courses taken, the student’s academic record, and employment/funding status. Course loads for full-time students typically range from 8 to 15 credit hours per semester (usually 3 to 5 courses). A student may not enroll for more than 18 credit hours in autumn or spring semesters, exclusive of audit courses. A student may not enroll for more than 12 credit hours during summer term.

To maintain full-time continuous enrollment status during autumn and spring semesters, most students (including those with GAA, GTA, or GRA funding) must register for at least 8 credit hours. Fellowship students must register for 12 hours and post-candidacy students must register for at least 3 credit hours during autumn and spring semesters. Students on fellowship during the academic year must enroll in a minimum of 6 credit hours during the summer of their fellowship year. To meet minimum Graduate School requirements and avoid fees, students must enroll for at least 4 credit hours in the summer if they are taking candidacy exams, and they must enroll in at least 3 credit hours if they plan to defend their dissertation during the summer semester. More generally, pre-candidacy students who elect to take summer coursework (with approval from their advisors) must enroll in at least four credit hours to take advantage of the university’s fee authorization, and post-candidacy students who take summer coursework must enroll in at least three credit hours. See the Graduate School Course Registration Requirements for more information on required credit hours, and the Office of the University Registrar for information on important dates.

Grade grievances are covered by university policy (3335-8-23, Alteration of marks). Students should be aware of these university policies and the Glenn College’s procedures for implementing this policy. Grades are subject to change only when a procedural error was made in the evaluation or recording of a grade. Action to change a grade must be initiated before the end of the second succeeding semester or summer term. In no case will a grade be revised in accordance with criteria other than those applied to all students in the class.

If a student believes that a procedural error in grading was made, the student should meet with the instructor in an attempt to resolve the issue. If the instructor does not agree that a procedural error was made, the student may meet with the relevant program director (undergraduate, graduate professional, or PhD) to discuss the grade grievance. The program director shall respond to the student no later than thirty days after the student has requested a review by the program director. Upon receipt of the program director’s response, if the issue is not resolved to the satisfaction of the student, the student may within two weeks request in writing a grade change by duplicate submission to the Glenn College associate dean for curriculum and program director. In these cases, a faculty committee comprised of the faculty members of the relevant curriculum committee and chaired by the associate dean for curriculum will conduct a review and make a final determination within the college. The faculty committee chaired by the associate dean for curriculum will not include the program director. 

Should the program director and instructor be one in the same, the program director will not conduct a review of the grade grievance. If the issue is not resolved to the satisfaction of the student after meeting with the instructor, the student may request the associate dean for curriculum to convene a faculty committee comprised of the faculty members of the relevant curriculum committee and chaired by the associate dean for curriculum to conduct a review and make a final determination within the college.

Should the associate dean for curriculum and the instructor be one in the same, the associate dean for faculty development will convene and chair the faculty review committee.

Doctoral students must successfully complete the Candidacy Examination within four years of entering with a master’s degree in public administration or within five years of entering without a master’s degree in public administration, although most students complete the candidacy exam by the beginning of their third year in the program. Students are admitted to candidacy upon successfully completing the Candidacy Examination. Students must submit an Application for Candidacy via GRADFORMS (https://gradforms.osu.edu) at least two weeks prior to the exam. Failure to do this will result in the postponement of the exam.

Once admitted to candidacy, students have five years to successfully defend their doctoral dissertation. However, students are expected to make timely progress on their dissertation research, and most finish within one to three years after attaining candidacy. In this process, an important milestone is the dissertation proposal. It is expected that the dissertation proposal will be presented and approved by the end of the third academic year.

Reasonable Progress – Milestone/Timeline

1. Successful completion of Glenn College Coursework: Within 4 consecutive semesters during the course work phase of the program

2. Completion and presentation of the First Year Paper: By the end of Autumn semester of the 2nd academic year

3. Successful completion of the Candidacy Examination: Summer of the 2nd academic year

4. Dissertation Proposal presented and approved: By the beginning of the 4th academic year (no later than end of fall semester)

5. Defend Doctoral Dissertation: By the end of the 5th academic year (the graduate school requires the defense within 5 years after admission to candidacy)

The doctoral program is designed—through coursework, examinations, and collaborative and independent research—to help students acquire skills and competencies necessary to flourish as independent researchers.

Obtaining a doctoral degree entails demonstration of the student’s deep and thorough understanding of academic and other literatures relevant to the student’s area of research. Through the writing of the doctoral dissertation, the student is expected to extend understanding of the relevant literatures by addressing public affairs problems. Achieving these objectives requires that the student be well versed in the relevant literature, be able to take an unstructured problem and formulate it in a form that lends itself to research, implement the research, report (in writing and verbally) on the research process and findings, and discuss the implications of these findings for public affairs.

Competencies and Skills

The core courses for the doctoral program are designed to provide students with the following:

1. An understanding of the intellectual and historical foundations of public affairs, including multidisciplinary approaches to addressing public problems [FOUNDATIONS];
2. An understanding of the theories and methods used to study policymaking processes and to conduct policy research—including policy analysis and evaluation [POLICY];
3. An understanding of the theories and methods used to study organizations that operate in the public and non-profit sectors [MANAGEMENT];
4. A basic foundation in microeconomic theory and its application to the public sector [ECONOMICS];
5. A thorough preparation in analytical foundations and competence in advanced research methods and tools for investigating public policy and management problems [METHODS];
6. An intensive concentration in a specialized topic area or discipline [FOCUS AREA]; and
7. The knowledge and skills to educate and mentor [PEDAGOGY].

An important function of student assessment in the doctoral program is to determine students’ command of these topics, and to ascertain whether students can apply their understanding to conduct independent research.

First Year Paper

Glenn College doctoral students begin writing an empirical research paper during the first year of the program. Students are expected to complete the paper by the beginning of autumn term of their second year and present their paper in the Second Year Doctoral Seminar (PUBAFRS 8890.02) during that term. Successful completion and presentation of the paper fulfills a requirement for PUBAFRS 8890.02.  Students complete their first-year papers under an apprenticeship model. Students are not expected to collect their own data or design their own study for the first year paper. Rather, students work under the direction of a Glenn College faculty member who serves as the First Year Paper Advisor. The First Year Paper Advisor typically leads the study design and provides data, in collaboration with the first year student. Refer to Appendix I for a detailed description of the First Year Paper requirements. Students typically enroll in a one credit hour individual study class (PUBAFRS 8193) with their First Year Paper advisor during the Autumn of their first year in the program.

Candidacy Examination

Students are admitted to candidacy for the doctoral degree upon successful completion of the candidacy examination. Students must take the candidacy examination after completing the First Year Paper as well as satisfying core course requirements and the university’s minimum credit-hour requirements. The candidacy exam has written and oral components. Students must submit an Application for Candidacy via GRADFORMS at least two weeks prior to the oral portion of the candidacy exam. Failure to do this will result in the postponement of the exam. The Glenn College administers candidacy exams during the summer each year (as well as at other times as needed). Refer to Appendix II for a detailed description of the candidacy exam requirements.

Dissertation Proposal

We expect students to defend their dissertation proposals no later than fall semester of their fourth year. See Appendix III for more guidance on the structure and content of proposals (and dissertations) in the Glenn College, as well as the process for defending a proposal.

Dissertation Defense

Students should familiarize themselves with section 7.8 (Dissertation) and section 7.9 (Final Oral Examination) of the Graduate School Handbook. The doctoral candidate typically provides an overview of the dissertation in approximately 20-30 minutes, which is followed by a question-and-answer period such that the total time for the examination is approximately two hours. 

The doctoral defense in the Glenn College is loosely structured like a seminar with a few important differences. Students, faculty, and the general public who are not part of the dissertation committee are welcome to attend for the first 30 minutes of the defense, followed by a closed 90 minute session with the student and the dissertation committee. At the start of the examination, the committee members and the Graduate School representative meet in private to discuss whether any of the members has concerns regarding the written document and to determine how the examination will be conducted, including deciding upon the order in which the committee members will ask questions. After committee members inform the doctoral candidate and the audience about how the examination will proceed, the candidate makes a 20-30 minute presentation without interruption, except for clarifying questions from the committee members. At the end of the presentation, the chair of the dissertation committee may allow some time for non-committee members from the audience to ask questions. After this open question period, non-committee members will be dismissed from the room. The committee members and the representative from the Graduate School will then proceed with their questions based on the oral presentation and the written document. At the completion of the question-and-answer period, the committee members and the Graduate School representative once again discuss in private and certify the outcome of the oral defense.

After a student’s dissertation committee approves their draft dissertation, they must schedule an oral defense by submitting an Application for Final Examination via GRADFORMS that all committee members must approve. Students must submit this application least two weeks prior to the oral portion of the oral defense. Failure to do this will result in the postponement of the dissertation defense.

Beyond the curricular requirements for getting a PhD from the Glenn College and Ohio State, there are activities that students should undertake to both enhance the experience of earning a PhD and to prepare for their careers. It is not too early to begin to establish a record of research, teaching, and, time permitting, service (in that order). Some of these activities include the following:

Research

• Present a paper in the Glenn College seminar series
• Present a paper at a conference prior to being on the academic job market
• Submit a paper to a journal for potential publication
• Submit a grant proposal
• Attend seminars or colloquia in other departments or colleges on campus 

Teaching

• If interested in an academic career, seek out opportunities to lead recitation sessions or teach a course in the undergraduate program
• Consult with Assistant Dean of Students and Instruction to conduct a needs assessment
• Attend workshops at the university’s Drake Institute for Teaching and Learning
• Participate in the Graduate School’s Preparing Future Faculty program

Wellness

• Be sure to treat your mind and body well by developing and practicing healthy exercise, dietary, sleep, financial, and relaxation habits.
• Ohio State offers many centralized services to aid in wellness. Visit the Glenn College’s Graduate Resources page to learn more.
• Ohio State offers counseling and support groups specifically designed to assist doctoral students. For information, visit the Office of Student Life’s Counseling and Consultation Service page. 

Service and Involvement

• Get involved in the life of the college
  • Become an active member in the Doctoral Student Organization
  • Attend seminars and classmates’ proposal/dissertation defenses and talks
  • Volunteer to meet with job candidates and visiting speakers
  • Volunteer to serve on a committee
• Get involved in university activities
  • Attend seminars or take classes in other departments
  • Get involved in one of the interdisciplinary centers on campus
  • Get involved with the Council of Graduate Students by serving or applying for Ray Travel Awards and the Hayes Graduate Research Forum
  • Participate in social, enrichment, or family-friendly events held by the OUAB Graduate and Professional Programming Committee
  • Participate in multicultural events sponsored by the Ohio State Multicultural Center
  • Below are links to websites that include opportunities for getting involved on campus
    • Council of Graduate Students
    • Student Activities/Ohio Union (Discount tickets/student organizations, and activities)
    • OUAB Graduate and Professional Programming Committee
    • Wexner Center for the Arts
    • Athletic Events and Teams
    • Recreational Sports
    • Center for Belonging and Social Change
    • Office of International Affairs (programs and services)
• Experience Columbus
  • Below are links to different sites and events in Columbus
    • Experience Columbus (guide for events)
    • Columbus Commons (riverfront park, restaurants and entertainment)
    • Downtown Columbus
    • The Short North (shopping and restaurants)
    • Arena District (sporting events, concerts, restaurants)
    • North Market and Farmer’s Markets
    • South Campus Gateway (shopping, restaurants, movies)
    • Columbus Blue Jackets (Hockey)
    • Columbus Clippers (Baseball)
    • Columbus Crew (Soccer)
    • Easton Mall (shopping, entertainment and restaurants)
    • Columbus Zoo
    • COSI (Center of Science and Industry)
    • Columbus Metro Parks

• PUBAFRS 8000: Public Policy and Management: Foundations and Approaches
  Provides a foundation for the study of public policy and management. Traces the intellectual foundations of the field; explores philosophical foundations of social science inquiry; and integrates public affairs scholarship with scholarship from the social sciences and a wide range of applied fields. 3 credit hours
• PUBAFRS 8890.01: First Year Doctoral Seminar
  First in a sequence of three doctoral seminars. Imparts knowledge and skills to help Glenn College doctoral students succeed as scholars.  1 credit hour
• PUBAFRS 8890.02: Second Year Doctoral Seminar
  Second in a sequence of three doctoral seminars. Imparts knowledge and skills to help Glenn College doctoral students succeed as scholars.  1 credit hour
• PUBAFRS 8890.03: Third Year Doctoral Seminar
  Third in a sequence of three doctoral seminars. Imparts knowledge and skills to help Glenn College doctoral students succeed as scholars. 1 credit hour
• PUBAFRS 8998: Graduate Research Non-Dissertation
  Provides assistance to students as they prepare for candidacy exams. Students enroll during the summer in which they take their candidacy exam (usually summer of their second year).  4 credit hours

Public Policy

• PUBAFRS 8030: Seminar in Public Policy
  Provides students with an overview of the scholarly study of public policy. Surveys interdisciplinary research on the diagnosis and analysis of public problems as well as the process of making and implementing public policy. 3 credit hours
• PUBAFRS 6000*: Public Policy Formulation and Implementation
  Introductory and practically oriented course on the policymaking process in the United States. 4 credit hours

* PUBARS 6000 is practically oriented and not ideal for students who seek a refresher in U.S. government and the policymaking process. Prior coursework on U.S. government or policymaking should provide adequate preparation for PUBAFRS 8030.

Public Sector Economics

• PUBAFRS 8050^: Seminar in Public Sector Economics
  An overview of the public economics subfield. Applies the policy-analytic tools of micro-economics to examine the desirability and possible impacts of government intervention in markets. It also focuses on the use of modern applied econometric techniques to estimate policy impacts. Prerequisites: 6030, Econ 4001, or permission of instructor. 3 credit hours
• PUBAFRS 6040: Public Budgeting and Finance
  Survey and analysis of government fiscal activities; taxation principles, intergovernmental relations, fiscal problems; public sector budgeting; budgets as mechanism for planning/allocating/controlling resources; tools for program and results evaluation. Prerequisites: 6030, Econ 4001, or permission of instructor. 4 credit hours
• PUBAFRS 6030*: Public Sector Economics
  Economic analysis in the public sector; application of economic and analytical techniques to identify and frame public policy problems; analysis of policy solution trade-offs; efficiency; market failure; public choice. 4 credit hours

^ Prior to enrolling in PUBAFRS 8050, students must have had an intermediate microeconomics course (PUBAFRS 6030 can work, though an intermediate microeconomics course that employs calculus would be better) and are strongly encouraged to have had prior coursework in calculus.

* Student who do not wish to test in public economics as part of their candidacy exams can take PUBAFRS 6040 instead. Students with coursework in intermediate microeconomics can obtain a waiver from PUBAFRS 6030, which is a pre-requisite for PUBAFRS 6030

Management and Organizational Theory

• PUBAFRS 8040: Seminar in Organizational Theory/Behavior
  Provides students with an overview of the scholarly study of public organizations. Surveys interdisciplinary research in organizational theory/behavior, particularly as it applies to public management. 3 credit hours
• PUBAFRS 6050*: Managing Public Organizations
  Learn to manage public sector organizations with a focus on the external environment: context of public sector organizations, their structure, how they operate; managing organizational performance, innovation, and change. 4 credit hours
• PUBAFRS 6060*: Leading and Managing People in Public Organizations
  Management of public sector organizations with focus on leadership and human resource behavior and management. 4 credit hours

* Students without a strong background in policy formulation and implementation should take PUBAFRS 6000 prior to PUBAFRS 8030, and students without a strong background in public economics should take PUBAFRS 6030 prior to PUBAFRS 8050. Similarly, PUBAFRS 6050 and 6060 are applied management courses, and are only appropriate for students without an MPA who plan to specialize in public management. There may be other elective management courses within the Glenn College that are a better fit depending on the student’s interests (e.g., nonprofit policy or management, or strategic management). 

Research Design & Methods for Public Affairs

• PUBAFRS 8782: Research Design for Public Policy and Management
  An introduction to research design in the social sciences, particularly as it applies to public policy and management. Topics include the generation of research questions; theory development; experimental, quasi-experimental, and non-experimental research designs; defining and measuring concepts; and quantitative and qualitative data collection and analysis. 3 credit hours
  Note: The prerequisites for this sequence are undergraduate courses in statistics and college math.
• PUBAFRS 6080*: Public Affairs Program Evaluation
  Survey of the conceptual, methodological, bureaucratic, political and organizational issues surrounding evaluation research. 4 credit hours

* Whether students need PUBAFRS 6080 prior to enrolling in PUBAFRS 8782 will depend on the extent to which they have had some experience in research design.

Methods Elective Courses (students are required to take at least 4)

Students are required to take at least four additional methods courses, two of which should be statistics or econometrics courses. Students without a strong background in econometrics should begin with PUBAFRS 7571, “Multivariate Regression Analysis” (ECON 5410, “Econometrics I” may be substituted for PUBAFRS 7571 if a scheduling conflict prevents a student from enrolling in PUBAFRS 7571). The second course should be an advanced econometrics course such as Econometrics II in the Economics Department (ECON 5420) or a comparable course in another department. The Doctoral Studies Committee can grant a waiver from two of these four required methods courses if students have completed coursework that is equivalent to ECON 5420.

Many departments on campus offer methods classes. Students should work with their advisor to select courses that fit with their research interests and provide the skills needed for the completion of their dissertation. For some, this may mean advanced work in econometrics; for others, it may mean more specialized study in areas such as survey research methods, qualitative research methods, or experimental design. Indeed, as we discuss below, students can also obtain formal OSU minors or interdisciplinary specializations to meet methods requirements—both of which will be formally stated on their OSU transcripts and which students can list on their CVs.

• PUBAFRS 7571: Multivariate Regression Analysis
  Provides an understanding of regression techniques, both from a "producer's" and a "consumer's" perspective. Regression, a statistical method used to study the relationships between variables, is used in public policy analysis. 3 credit hours

Sample List of Methods Electives:

• PUBAFRS 7572 Policy Simulation and Modeling, 3 credit hours

• PUBAFRS 7573 Qualitative Methods for Public Policy and Management, 3 credit hours

• PUBAFRS 7574Mixed Methods Approaches for Policy-Related Research, 3 credit hours

• PUBAFRS 5770 Risk and Decision Analysis in Public Affairs, 3 credit hours

• ECON 5410 Econometrics I, 3 credit hours

• ECON 5420 Econometrics II, 3 credit hours

• POLITSC 7553 Quantitative Political Analysis III, 3 credit hours

• POLITSC 7788 Selected Topics in Political Methodology, 3 credit hours

• PSYCH 6810, 6811 Statistical Methods in Psychology I & II, 4 credit hours

• PSYCH 7820 Fundamentals of Factor Analysis, 3 credit hours

• PSYCH 7821 Covariance Structure Models, 3 credit hours

• PSYCH 7816 Action and Decision-Making, 3 credit hours

• STAT 6610 Applied Nonparametric Statistics, 3 credit hours

• EDUPL 7627 Sampling Designs and Survey Research Methods, 3 credit hours

• EDUPL 7648 Univariate Experimental Design, 4 credit hours

• EDUPL 8648 Multivariate Experimental Design, 4 credit hours

• EDUPL 8657 Factor and Cluster Analysis, 3 credit hours

• EDUPL 8658 Applied Multilevel Data Analysis, 3 credit hours

• EDUPL 8659 Structural Equation Modeling, 3 credit hours

• SOCIOL 6608 Qualitative Methods in Sociology, 3 credit hours

• SOCIOL 6708 Design and Analysis of Qualitative Sociological Research, 3 credit hours

• SOCIOL 6649 Intro to Quantitative Regression/Multiple Regression, 3 credit hours

• SOCIOL 6650 Categorical Data Analysis, 3 credit hours

• SOCIOL 7752 Principles and Techniques of Scale Construction, 3 credit hours

• SOCIOL 8505 Construction and Verification of Theory, 3 credit hours

• SOCIOL 8607 Causal Modeling, 3 credit hours

• SOCIOL 8632 Analysis of Longitudinal Data, 3 credit hours

• SOCIOL 8651 Hierarchical Linear Models, 3 credit hours

• HIST 7900 Colloquium in the Philosophy of History, and the Historian’s Skills I, 1 credit hour

• HIST 7901 Colloquium in the Philosophy of History, and the Historian’s Skills II, 1 credit hour

• IND ENG 5770 Cognitive Engineering Systems: Design and Evaluation, 3 credit hours

• BUSMHR 8780 Introduction to Micro Research Methods in Management, 1.5 credit hours

• BUSMHR 8781 Introduction to Macro Research Methods in Management, 1.5 credit hours

With advisor’s approval and in consultation with the Doctoral Studies Committee, each student identifies specialized course work advancing individual research pursuits. The objective is for students to develop sufficient depth in a focus area to be able to work successfully as researchers and scholars in the field. With the core curriculum serving as a foundation, this requires that students do more advanced study in the theoretical foundations of a field or focus area to be able to fully access and eventually contribute to the scholarly literature.

A significant share of each student’s elective coursework should be directed to advanced work in a particular focus area. More specifically, it is expected that within the framework of the PhD curriculum, every student will take at least three focus-area courses, and these courses will constitute in-depth study of a particular research area. What is to be avoided is a set of courses made up of a mix of widely distributed survey courses or excessive use of independent studies.

Students who want to signal a particular area of expertise on their CVs might consider official OSU minors (e.g., in economics or statistics) or one of OSU’s interdisciplinary specializations (e.g., in demography or quantitative research methods), which are formally reflected on university transcripts (see here for details). These are formal programs for which students need formal approval. More often, however, students consult with their advisors and the Doctoral Studies Committee to identify coursework that would further their expertise and research without fulfilling the formal requirements of an OSU specialization or minor. The Doctoral Student Organization has put together a Google Doc that illustrates elective, focus-area coursework students have taken and, when possible, students’ thoughts on this coursework.

Students are expected to take the initiative to search out the best available courses currently available throughout the university. Although our core coursework provides students with an introduction to the breadth of elective coursework students can pursue on campus, we purposefully provide flexibility so that our program can meet the diverse needs and interdisciplinary interests of our students. The courses listed below are illustrations and do not encompass the full range of focus-area courses available at Ohio State.

Examples of Focus-area Coursework

Students may select focus-area coursework in a specific policy area (e.g. health, education, or environment) or a complimentary field (e.g. economics, sociology, organizational theory, or political science). Before finalizing any such coursework, students must contact any departments where a class is listed to confirm that a particular course is being offered and when. Below are examples of coursework that students have taken, grouped by topic area. Note that students have flexibility and need not take a set of courses that lead to a formal specialization graduate minor. The courses listed below are merely illustrations of courses that students have pursued.

• Political Institutions
  • POLITSC 7130 Judicial Politics, 3 credit hours
  • POLITSC 7120 Legislative Politics, 3 credit hours
  • POLITSC 7160 Public Opinion, 3 credit hours
     
• Education and Workforce Policy
  • PUBAFRS 7503​​​​​​ Higher Education Policy for Public Leaders, 3 credit hours

  • PUBAFRS 7506 Workforce Planning and Policy, 3 credit hours

  • PUBAFRS 7537 Education Policy for Public Leaders, 3 credit hours

  • SOCIOL 7820 Sociology of Education, 3 credit hours
     

• Energy and Environmental Policy

  • PUBAFRS 5800 Environmental Policy, 3 credit hours

  • AEDE 6300 Environmental and Resource Economics, 3 credit hours
     

• Health Policy

  • SOC 7830 Medical Sociology, 3 credit hours

  • PUBHHMP 7624 Economic Evaluation of Health Care Programs and Services, 3 credit hours

  • PUBHEPI 6431 Design and Implementation of Health Surveys, 3 credit hours
     

• Housing

  • CRP/PUBAFRS 5400 Planning for Housing, 3 credit hours

  • CRP 7400 Contemporary Topics in Planning (offered infrequently), 3 credit hours

  • CRP 6460 Real Estate Finance for Planners, 3 credit hours

  • BUSFIN 7241 Real Estate II, 1.5 credit hours
     

• Food Policy

  • ​​​​​​​PUBAFRS 5890 US Food Policy, 3 credit hours

  • PUBAFRS 5895 Food Insecurity and Food Assistance Programming and Policy in the U.S, 3 credit hours

  • PUBAFRS 5900 Food Systems Planning & the Economy, 3 credit hours

  • FDSCTE 5320 Food Laws and Regulations, 2 credit hours
     

• Economics (Foundations)

  • ​​​​​​​ECON 6700 Survey of Mathematical Methods in Economics, 3 credit hours

  • ECON 6701 Survey of Statistical Methods in Economics, 3 credit hours

  • ECON 6711 Survey of Microeconomics, 4 credit hours

  • ECON 7700 Mathematics for Economics I, 3 credit hours

  • ECON 8711 Microeconomic Theory IA, 3 credit hours

  • ECON 8712 Microeconomic Theory IB, 3 credit hours

  • ECON 8713 Microeconomic Theory IIA, 3 credit hours

  • ECON 8714 Microeconomic Theory IIB, 3 credit hours

  • ECON 8731 Econometrics I, 4 credit hours

  • ECON 8732 Econometrics II, 4 credit hours

  • ECON 8733 Econometrics III, 3 credit hours
     

• ​​​​​​​Public Finance

  • ​​​​​​​ECON 8841 Public Econometrics I, 3 credit hours

  • ECON 8842 Public Econometrics II, 3 credit hours

  • AEDE 5330 Benefit Cost Analysis, 5 credit hours
     

• Economic Development and Urban Economics

  • PUBAFRS 7531 Economic Development Planning and Policy, 3 credit hours

  • ECON 7790 Urban Economics, 3 credit hours

  • GEOG 8501 Seminar in Urban Geography: Spatial Organization of the City, 3 credit hours

  • CRP 5700 & 6820 Urban Transportation Demand Forecasting, 3 credit hours

  • CRP 6810 Non-Motorized Transportation Planning, 3 credit hours
     

• ​​​​​​​Location Analysis

  • ​​​​​​​GEOG 6271 Advanced Location Analysis, 3 credit hours

  • GEOG 8271 Seminars in Location Analysis: Location Theory, 3 credit hours
     

• Organizational Theory and Behavior

  • ​​​​​​​BUSMHR 8401 Seminar in Strategic Management, 1.5 credit hours

  • BUSMHR 8202 Seminar in Organization Behavior, 1.5 credit hours

  • BUSMHR 8203 Seminar in Organization Theory, 1.5 credit hours

  • SOC 7862 Seminar in Complex Organizations, 3 credit hours
     

• Human Resource Management

  • ​​​​​​​BUSMHR 7301 Conceptual and Historical Foundations of LHR Management, 1.5 credit hours

  • BUSMHR 7302 Markets, Organizations, and HRM, 1.5 credit hours

  • BUSMHR 7310 Labor Relations, 1.5 credit hours

  • BUSMHR 7313 Total Rewards/Compensation, 3 credit hours

  • BUSMHR 7335 Managing Diversity, 1.5 credit hours
     

• Management Science

  • ​​​​​​​ECON 8733 Econometrics III, 3 credit hours

  • STAT 6510 Survey Sampling Methods, 3 credit hours

  • STAT 6540 Applied Stochastic Processes, 3 credit hours

  • STAT 6550 The Statistical Analysis of Time Series, 2 credit hours

  • STAT 6560 Applied Multivariate Analysis, 3 credit hours

  • STAT 6610 Applied Nonparametric Statistics, 3 credit hours

  • STAT 6650 Discrete Data Analysis, 2 credit hours

  • STAT 6730 Introduction to Computational Statistics, 2 credit hours

  • STAT 7789 Survey Research Practicum, 3 credit hours

  • SOC 8607 Causal Modeling, 1.5 credit hours

  • AEDE 6110 Applied Quantitative Methods I, 4 credit hours

  • AEDE 7120 Quantitative Methods II

  • AEDE 7130 Applied Econometrics I

  • BUSMGT 8235 Seminar in Operations Research Applications to OM

  • ISE 7250 Operations Research Models and Methods

Students may also wish to pursue a graduate minor or graduate interdisciplinary specialization (GIS) in another related university department. Completed minors and specializations are formally reflected on university transcripts. Courses taken as part of a minor or GIS may count towards the four required methods courses or three required specialization courses, depending on the content. Please visit the Graduate School’s Graduate Minors and Interdisciplinary Specializations page to learn more about the minors and specializations available, as well as the process for declaring: Degree Options.  Some illustrative minors are as follows:

Economics Minor

The graduate minor in economics will benefit graduate students who wish to improve their substantive knowledge of theory, empirical methods and model analysis in the areas of microeconomics, macroeconomics, econometrics and their applications. Such training is intended to complement the student’s chosen graduate major field. The Director of Graduate Studies (DGS) in economics cannot advise prospective graduate minor students how the graduate minor in economics can specifically complement students’ home graduate program. A student should therefore consult the advisor in the home/major department as to how the graduate minor in economics can enhance the student’s major academic goal. For more information and to apply for the minor, please visit this page.

Statistics Minors

There are two minors in statistics – the Graduate Minor in Statistics, and the Graduate Minor in Statistical Data Analysis. Please see pages 5 and 7 in the Program Guide to Undergraduate and Graduate Studies in Statistics and Biostatistics) for more information on these minor programs.

Research Methods Minor

There is a Research Methods Minor available through the Department of Agricultural Communication, Education and Leadership, which aims to provide students with the knowledge and skills to conduct systematic inquiry and effectively interpret research results. Please visit here for more information.

Graduate Interdisciplinary Specialization in Demography

Demographic issues encompass some of the most pressing social issues of our time including population aging, unprecedented changes in the structure and functioning of the family, social inequality, and environmental challenges, to name a few. Please visit Institute for Population Research for more information.

Graduate Interdisciplinary Specialization in Quantitative Research Methods (GISQRM)

For graduate students interested in methodology beyond basic regression, the Graduate Interdisciplinary Specialization in Quantitative Research Methods can help give you the advanced interdisciplinary skills needed for your career. Please visit Department of Educational Studies for more information.

Autumn Semester: TOTAL = 10-14 credits

• PA 8890.01: First Year Doctoral Seminar I (2)

• PA 8193: Individual Study with First Year Paper advisor (1)

• PA 8000: Public Policy and Management: Foundations and Approaches (3)

• PA 8040: Seminar in Organizational Theory and Management (3) [offered every other year in Fall]
  OR
  PA 8030: Seminar in Public Policy (3) [offered every other year in SP]

• Methods Elective I: PA 7571 Multivariate Data Analysis & Mgt. (3) [or equivalent – see Advisor for help]

[Students without a strong background in public policy should audit PA 6000; students without a strong background in public economics should enroll in PA 6030; students interested in budgeting and finance without an MPA can also enroll in 6040]

Spring Semester: TOTAL = 9-13 credits

• PA 8050: Seminar in Public Sector Economics (3) [offered every other year in SP]
  OR
  PA 6040: Public Budgeting and Finance (4)
  OR
  Focus-area Elective course(s) chosen with help of faculty advisor (3)

• PA 8782: Seminar in Policy Modeling (3)

• Methods Elective II (3)

• Focus-area Elective course(s) chosen with help of faculty advisor (3)

Summer Term: TOTAL = 0-6 credits

• PA 8193 Individual Studies (variable credit hours)

• and/or Specialization Course(s) chosen with help of faculty advisor

[Students on fellowship during their first year are required to enroll in 6 credit hours during the summer; students appointed as a GRA are required to enroll in 4 credit hours during the summer. Students appointed as GTAs or not funded during the summer are not required to enroll in summer courses].

Autumn Semester: TOTAL =8-12 credits

• PA 8890.02: Second Year Doctoral Seminar (1)
• PA 8040: Seminar in Organizational Theory and Behavior (3) [offered every other year in Fall]
  OR 
  PA 8030: Seminar in Public Policy (3) [offered every other year in Spring]
• Methods Elective III (3)
• Focus-area Elective course(s) chosen with help of faculty advisor (3)

Spring Semester: TOTAL = 9-12 credits

• PA 8050: Seminar in Public Sector Economics (3) [offered every other year in Spring]
  OR
  PA 6040: Public Budgeting and Finance (4)
  OR
  Focus-area Elective course(s) chosen with help of faculty advisor (3)

• Methods Elective IV (3)

• Focus-area Elective course(s) chosen with help of faculty advisor (3)

Summer Term: TOTAL = 4-6 credits

• PA 8998 Research for Non-Dissertation (Candidacy Exam Prep class) (3) 

• PA 8193 Individual Studies (variable credit hours)

• Milestone: Candidacy Exam

​​​​​​​​​​​​​​(Credit hours depend on funding. Please consult the doctoral director before enrolling in summer classes your second year.)

REGISTER ONLY FOR 3 CREDITS PER TERM AFTER PASSING CANDIDACY EXAM, UNLESS GRANTED PERMISSION FROM DIRECTOR OF DOCTORAL STUDIES

Autumn Semester: TOTAL = 3 credits

• PA 8890.03: Third Year Doctoral Seminar (1) 
• PA 8999: Research in Public Affairs: Dissertation (2)

Spring Semester: TOTAL = 3 credits

• PA 8999: Research in Public Affairs: Dissertation (3)

Summer Term: TOTAL = 0-3 credits

• PA 8999: Research in Public Affairs: Dissertation (variable credit)
• Milestone: Proposal Defense

Autumn Semester: TOTAL = 3 credits

• PA 8999: Research in Public Affairs: Dissertation (variable credit)

Spring Semester: TOTAL = 3 credits

• PA 8999: Research in Public Affairs: Dissertation (variable credit)
• Milestone: Dissertation Defense

Doctoral students at the Glenn College have a variety of career goals. Many are interested in obtaining employment as faculty members. For these students, formal training in classroom teaching is essential. Others, however, are interested in research careers that involve no classroom teaching. Training and experience in classroom teaching is valuable for them, too, as their jobs will surely require them to deliver presentations and educate a variety of audiences about their research. But they might also want to develop their skills to serve as leaders, mentors, or adjunct instructors. That is why the Glenn College has adopted a broad definition of what constitutes educator training and encourages students to take advantage of a wide variety of opportunities to develop their skills as educators.

In their first year in the program, students begin the process of identifying and articulating their goals as educators and create plans for acquiring the knowledge and skills to realize those goals. This process occurs through assignments in the professional seminar in the fall (8890.01) and the annual review process in spring. Students also generally participate in the Drake Institute’s teaching assistant (TA) orientation in August, just prior to their first semester in the program. This professional development process continues as students complete TA and other teaching experiences in their second year, which they report and reflect upon during the annual review process in spring of their second year. Students then take their final professional seminar (8890.03) in the fall of their third year, during which they write their teaching philosophies, assemble a teaching portfolio, and make their final plans for acquiring the skills they need to market themselves as effective educators. By the time students graduate, we expect them to acquire at least one experience that results in formal recognition (e.g., a teaching endorsement or certification) that they can list on their CVs.

All recent graduates have had at least one experience serving as a TA or instructor. These are great opportunities to develop skills in classroom teaching and general presentation skills, as well as to develop expertise in particular public affairs topics. All students are required to complete the Drake Institute’s TA orientation before serving as a TA (which is no problem, as all of our students must take this training), and students must complete the Glenn College’s instructor orientation just prior to serving as an instructor. Students for whom English is not a first language must take a test to determine their proficiency in spoken English prior to serving as an instructor if their Speaking score is below 28 on the TOEFL iBT or below 8.5 on the IELTS. Information about the oral proficiency assessment, including necessary scores to serve as a Graduate Teaching Associate (GTA), is available here. (Students should coordinate with the Director of Doctoral Studies prior to registering for the exam.)

TA and instructor assignments are determined based on the College’s teaching needs, students’ performance and progress in the program (including as TAs), and students’ expressed interests. Specifically, the Associate Dean for Curriculum solicits TA and instructor preferences from students annually and works with the Director of Doctoral Studies each semester to assign students based on their demonstrated aptitude and progress.

All students must do the following:

• Complete TA orientation prior to the start of their first semester in the program. (Topics covered include cultivating your teaching identity, knowing your students, understanding your teaching context and role, setting student expectations, the relationship between teaching and learning, and obtaining and using feedback on teaching.)
• Complete all of the teaching-related assignments in the professional seminars in the fall of their first year (8890.01) and fall of their third year (8890.03).
• Submit teaching evaluations (from students and the instructor of record) and teaching narratives as part of the annual review process.
• Complete at least one formal training (e.g., one that results in an endorsement for classroom teaching or for mentorship/leadership) before your third-year annual review. Students can fulfill this requirement by completing a Drake Institute Teaching Endorsement of their choosing. (Students who wish to substitute a different formal training must obtain approval from the Doctoral Studies Committee.)

Students who serve as instructors must complete the Glenn College’s internal training, and students for whom English is not a first language must pass the oral proficiency assessment (see the TA/instructor section above). 

We highly recommend that students complete optional trainings and other experiences relevant to their goals as educators. A good place to start is with the Teaching Practices Inventory and learning modules in Carmen called “Teaching@OhioState.” In addition, the Drake Institute hosts teaching workshop events regularly and has several recorded events on teaching. The Glenn College also hosts periodic events on teaching in conjunction with the Drake Institute. Students should keep a running list of any trainings (Glenn-sponsored, or through the Drake Institute) that they can submit through the annual review process. As students become more advanced as educators, students should also consider completing additional programs and endorsements that the Drake Institute has to offer.

A teaching portfolio serves as documentation of one’s effectiveness and development as a teacher. It consists of a collection of artifacts (assignments and teaching tools), evaluations (formal and informal), summaries of teaching responsibilities, a Philosophy of Teaching Statement, and reflections on what went well and what might be improved upon and how. A good teaching portfolio demonstrates growth over time and can be summative as well as formative. A version of this portfolio is used in academic job applications as well. The Drake Institute offers an online guide to assist teachers with the development of a teaching portfolio. A teaching portfolio should be built as students move through the program.

First year

• August, prior to beginning the program (required): Drake Institute Graduate Teaching Orientation
• Fall semester (recommended): Drake Institute Foundations of Inclusive Teaching
• Spring semester (recommended): Calling In Workshop

Second year

• Fall semester (recommended): Philosophy of Teaching Statement
• Spring semester (recommended): Teaching Portfolio Development

Third year

• Fall semester (required for instructors): Glenn College Instructor Orientation
• Spring semester (recommended): Drake Institute Teaching Endorsement 

The first-year paper is an early introduction to the research process that, hopefully, culminates in a publishable co-authored paper. The purpose of the FYP is for students to learn how to write academic papers by working under the direction of and in collaboration with a faculty member. While the candidacy exam and dissertation proposal assess the student’s ability to frame a research question and design an empirical strategy to answer it, the first-year paper imparts practical skills relating to writing (and, ultimately, publishing) an academic paper.

The intent is to engage students in this process early in the doctoral program and to avoid having students begin the writing process only after completing courses and candidacy examinations. Instead, students should be thinking about and conducting research early in their careers as doctoral students. This is also an opportunity for students to begin a working relationship with a faculty member and, hopefully, to publish in a peer-reviewed journal before they graduate.

Students are not expected to conduct independent research at this stage, as they have not yet completed coursework necessary to conduct independent research— including methods and substantive coursework in policy, management, and public economics. The faculty member is expected to take the lead with regard to problem formulation, securing data, and research design. The student should be meaningfully involved in conducting the analysis and is expected to write the draft of the paper that is presented during fall semester of their second year. In some cases, students may contribute to data collection; however, this must be approved in advance by the FYP advisor and doctoral director, ensuring the data collection efforts are feasible within the timeframe allotted.

Once the student has successfully presented the paper during autumn semester of their second year, the FYP advisor becomes a coauthor on the paper and does their best to shepherd the paper through the publication process. There is wide variation in student skillsets and in the nature of their contributions to a given project. Additionally, projects students join will be at varying stages, and some projects simply won’t pan out. Thus, there is significant variation across FYP projects in terms of when they may lead to a publishable paper. The expectation is simply that faculty will take the project seriously and prioritize eventually getting it published—so that students can witness the entire arc of completing and publishing academic research. This co-authorship makes students more competitive on the job market by virtue of having publications, by displaying some breadth in their research agenda, and by teaching them how to execute their own research projects.

Because the faculty member typically takes the lead, FYP projects generally do not end up as part of students’ dissertations. However, some students ultimately make a sufficient contribution to eventually become a lead author on the paper (e.g., by taking a lead on the writing and analysis on the final version of the paper), in which case the coauthored paper may serve as part of their dissertation. (Note that such coauthorship must be acknowledged just below the title of the relevant dissertation chapter. This acknowledgment should include a full citation if the article was ultimately published prior to the dissertation defense.)

The student and faculty advisor enter into a formal agreement by the end of the student’s first semester—a final deliverable for their first-year seminar (8890.01). The agreement stipulates the responsibilities and timeline for completion of the initial and final drafts of the FYP. This agreement is then reviewed and approved by the doctoral director. After that, the FYP advisor is in charge of monitoring a student’s progress. In particular, in the summer after their first year, students typically enroll in 3-4 credits of 8193 with their FYP advisor. They should set expectations at the start of the summer semester and assign a grade of “satisfactory” only if students have met their responsibilities and put in sufficient effort. Finally, the doctoral director and FYP advisor jointly evaluate the student’s presentation of their FYP in the fall of their second year. This will serve as the basis for whether they receive a grade of “satisfactory” in the second-year seminar (8890.02).

The core first-year doctoral curriculum is designed to help students with the process of conducting empirical research and writing the paper. At the beginning of each fall semester, the Director of Doctoral Studies works to confirm that each first year student has a first year paper faculty advisor. In the first-year seminar (8890.01), students learn about academic paper writing and presentations, must submit drafts of their FYP research proposals, and, by the end of the term, must present these proposals in class. The proposal and presentation must motivate their research topics and questions (informed by the literature) and must outline their empirical approach (e.g., data and plan for analysis). Meanwhile, throughout their first year, students take courses on the foundations of the field of public affairs, research design, and empirical methods. Thus, although the FYP advisor is responsible for directing and assessing the progress of their FYP advisee, the curriculum is designed to help students along.

Faculty and students are invited to attend students’ presentations of their first-year papers in the fall of their second year in the program. The Director of Doctoral Studies and the First Year Paper Advisor jointly evaluate the student’s work on the FYP and presentation to determine if they meet the requirements stipulated below (also see the evaluation form below). If the student’s work on the FYP does not meet the minimum requirements, the First Year Paper Advisor and Director of Doctoral Studies develop a remediation plan for the student. Failure to pass the FYP requirement may result in failure of the Second Year Doctoral Seminar course, and can result in dismissal from the program due to lack of progress.

• Beginning of first semester: Identify First Year Paper Advisors
• By the end of the first semester: Develop a proposal and sign an agreement with the FYP Advisor 
• Summer of the first year: Work on completing the paper 
• Autumn of the second year: Present paper

The student shall provide the completed paper to the instructor of PUBAFRS 8890.03 by October 1st of the autumn term of their second year. The instructor will ensure that the paper is distributed to the class, a first-year student discussant, and the Glenn College community.

The student shall present the paper orally in the First Year Seminar (which will be open to other faculty and students) in a 15 minute session, followed by 5-7 minutes of discussant comments and at least 15 minutes for discussion and audience participation.

The student’s work on the first-year paper should demonstrate a basic understanding of how to:

• Structure a problem and write an academic paper;
• Apply methods that are appropriate to the research question;
• Identify the implications of the analysis for research and practice; and
• Present empirical research in a manner appropriate for an academic audience.

The First Year Paper Advisor and the Director of Doctoral Studies will evaluate the student’s work on the first-year paper and presentation to determine the extent to which it meets these criteria.  The student’s First Year Paper Advisor and the Director of Doctoral Studies will develop a remedial course of action for any student who does not successfully meet these criteria. A student may not take the candidacy examination without successful completion of the first-year paper requirement.

The First Year Paper Advisor and the Director of Doctoral Studies have evaluated the student’s work on the first year paper and presentation to determine the extent to which it meets the criteria in the doctoral handbook.  The student’s work on the first year paper and presentation should demonstrate a basic understanding of how to accomplish the various tasks associated with writing a research paper. Our determination is as follows:

• Structure a problem and write an academic paper
• Apply methods that are appropriate to the research question
• Identify the implications of the analysis for research and practice
• Present empirical research in a manner appropriate for an academic audience

GRADES:

• Satisfactory = S
• Near Satisfactory= NS
• Unsatisfactory = U

A student must achieve “Satisfactory” or “Near Satisfactory” on the above criteria to pass the first year paper requirement. If “Unsatisfactory” on any of the above criteria, the following page indicates the remedial steps required to pass the first year paper. A student may not take the candidacy examination without successful completion of the first year paper requirement. If “Near Satisfactory”, the following page indicates suggested steps to help the student improve their skills in a particular area.  If “Satisfactory,” the following page provides comments and recommendations to prepare the paper for journal submission.

There are four basic competencies that a student should demonstrate through an exam before the student may receive doctoral candidacy status in public affairs:

1. Knowledge of the material (reproduce from memory);
2. Understanding of the material (logically reason, compare and contrast the applicability and limitations of the material);
3. The ability to go beyond the existing literature to suggest new empirical research questions or conceptual solutions to theoretical problems; and
4. The ability to apply theory to academic and practical problems.

The Candidacy Examination tests a student’s knowledge of public affairs content and ability to think critically about important research areas that pertain to public affairs. The exam consists of written and oral components. The oral examination is conducted shortly after the completion of the written exam and is be based on the content of the written exam. Please review the Ohio State Graduate School guidelines for details and requirements of the exam.

The Dean of the Glenn College appoints a faculty exam committee and committee chair each year to administer the candidacy exam. The Director of Doctoral Studies coordinates the exam with the faculty exam committee and oversees all aspects of the exam process. All students in a cohort generally sit for the exam at the same time and receive the same questions, and, because all students have the same exam committee, they list the exam committee chair as their advisor in GRADFORMS.  

Written Exam

The written exam is an in-depth test of a student’s command of the literature in the core areas of instruction: public affairs foundations and inquiry, public policy processes and analysis, public sector economics, public sector organizational theory and behavior, and public affairs research design and methods. All students respond to a field question related to public affairs foundations and inquiry and to a set of questions related to public affairs research design and methods. Students then must respond to an additional set of questions in two out of three content areas: (1) public policy processes and analysis; (2) public sector economics; and (3) public sector organizational theory and management. For each of the two content areas they select, students must answer one of the two sets of questions presented.

The written examination is eight hours long—two hours for each of the four sections—and administered over the course of two days (with breaks between each exam section). The course syllabi for each of the five foundational/core courses serve as the study guides for those sections of the exam. While the exam is “closed book,” students are allowed to bring in a list of references and short description of each (200 words or less for each article or for each chapter in a book). Students complete the examination on campus in a designated examination area (unless the university imposes restrictions on in-person events). The college provides computers with internet access disabled.

Oral Examination

The oral examination takes place approximately two weeks after students complete the written portion of the candidacy exam. The members of the exam committee review the students’ responses to the written portion of the exam and provide written feedback to the students at least one week prior to the oral exam, using the college’s Written Feedback Form. Students must prepare to address feedback on those forms during the oral exam. First, students have a maximum of 10 minutes to provide a general response to committee feedback. Second, committee members will begin to probe students’ knowledge on matters flagged in the feedback form. Faculty may probe further on any matter that arises during that conversation.

The format of the oral examination follows the format specified by the Ohio State Graduate School. The date is scheduled at least two weeks in advance during announced university business hours and is two hours in length. The oral exam may be administered remotely, in which case it is scheduled for 2.5 hours in case of technical difficulties. The period of time between the written and oral exam is considered part of the exam period. Students are not permitted to discuss written exam responses or the exam committee feedback with faculty members or other students during the exam period.

A student’s dissertation must demonstrate their capacity for conducting independent and original research. Beyond that, the Glenn College has no formal requirements regarding the content and structure of a dissertation. The specific contents of a dissertation are up to students and their committees and may vary depending on students’ academic subfields.

Nevertheless, there are common practices in the Glenn College and schools of public affairs more generally. The typical Glenn College dissertation includes five chapters (though, again, that is by no means a formal requirement). The first is an introduction that situates the research in the literature and practical concerns, and the fifth is a conclusion.  Some students complete a “three essay” dissertation in which each essay is a standalone paper slotted in for chapters 2-4. These papers can be interrelated and may employ the same dataset(s) and conceptual framework(s) and typically vary in the extent of their contributions. For example, there may be one strong, central chapter that becomes the job market paper, and two chapters that may be more exploratory. Of course, some students complete a more conventional book-length dissertation such that each chapter builds on the one that precedes it to form a coherent whole (e.g., chapter 2 might develop a novel theoretical framework, and chapter 3 and chapter 4 may examine this framework empirically using different research designs). 

Here are some examples of recently completed dissertations. You can find many older Glenn College dissertations at the following OSU site. Select “Search by OSU Department” and then select “John Glenn Public Affairs.” You can also find some more recent dissertations at OhioLink's ETD Centre, but not all.

Dissertation committee chairs (who must be Glenn faculty members) vary in how much of the dissertation they want completed through the proposal process. At minimum, students typically provide motivation in terms of practical concerns and the relevant literature (content typically includes a dissertation’s introduction) and research plans for completing each empirical chapter (e.g., research designs, data collection procedures, and specific analytical techniques). A good rule of thumb for knowing whether a proposal is adequately developed to be defended is that students have confirmed data availability or protocols for data collection—as well as a precise timeline for completing the research—as this allows the committee to determine if the proposal is feasible. Indeed, feasible proposals typically describe the data sources, and if applicable, present basic summary characteristics of the sample population. For example, if conducting qualitative interviews, students have identified the sites and have outlined procedures for data collection; if conducting survey research, students have identified the population to be surveyed and completed a preliminary draft or outline of survey questions; if conducting quantitative research of existing data, students have secured or are in the process of securing data; if conducting an experiment, students have identified the population from which they will recruit participants and have developed draft recruitment and experimental protocols.

Some students have completed one or more dissertation essays prior to the defense, in which case they will typically include the front matter of those essays (introduction through research design sections) in their dissertation proposals. Although this strategy may be appropriate in certain situations (for example, a first-year paper that evolved into a dissertation chapter), it is not the expectation and could be a risky strategy. The proposal provides an agreed upon plan for completing the dissertation before incurring the costs of fully executing a chapter that may or may not meet the expectations of the committee.

Another issue that frequently comes up regards coauthored papers as dissertation chapters. The rule of thumb for including coauthored papers (e.g., a student’s first-year paper)—or papers that might eventually be coauthored—is that the version of the paper in the dissertation is one for which the student took the lead in writing, conceptual development, and data analysis. How many such coauthored papers students should include in their dissertations might depend on a student’s subfield. In the fields of public policy and management, it is advisable that students complete at least one paper that will be sole-authored, so that it can serve as their job-market paper (some hiring departments request that job market candidates present sole-authored work) and make them more competitive for tenure.

Check out examples of recent dissertation proposals.

Students (and/or their committee chairs) should announce to Glenn College faculty and doctoral students the time and date of their proposal defense at least two weeks before their defense. They must also distribute their proposal to committee members via email at least five (5) business days before the day of the defense. Students (in collaboration with their committee chairs) are responsible for ensuring that all committee members are available for the defense, scheduling the room, setting the time, and sending out the announcement.

The proposal defense should last no more than two hours and the student and committee chair should agree on a format prior to the defense. The College highly recommends that dissertation committees follow a process consistent with Graduate School guidelines for the dissertation defense. According to these guidelines, students, faculty, and the general public who are not part of the dissertation committee are welcome to attend for the first 30 minutes of the defense, followed by a closed session limited to the student and the dissertation committee. This closed session may last up to 1.5 hours—for a total of up to two hours. Specifically, the doctoral candidate typically provides an overview of their dissertation proposal for approximately 20-30 minutes during the public portion, and then answers questions from the public audience for about 10 minutes. The committee chair then dismisses everyone but the candidate and members of the committee for a closed-door question-and-answer period. After this question-and-answer period, the committee asks the candidate to step out while they discuss the presentation and the merits of the proposal. Finally, after members of the committee have reached a decision, they invite the candidate back in to discuss their evaluation (based on the form below). Assessments of the candidate should occur only in the closed session.

The focus of the committee’s close-door discussion should be on whether the student is ready to proceed with his or her dissertation, and the steps needed to proceed (if ready) or steps needed to be ready to proceed (if not ready). During this conversation, members of the committee should fill out a proposal defense form (below) to summarize their collective assessment of the student’s proposal and readiness to proceed.  First, the committee should identify if the proposal is “unsatisfactory”, “near satisfactory”, or “satisfactory” on the dimensions included on the evaluation form.  (Note that rating a dimension as “near satisfactory” does not imply that the student will necessarily need to revise the proposal; rather, it may indicate where the student may want to make improvements/refinements as they proceed with the dissertation.)  Second, the committee should indicate its overall assessment regarding the student’s readiness to move forward with the dissertation, including whether it requires revisions to the proposal and whether the student will be asked to re-defend the proposal. Third, committee members should discuss specific recommendations for the student to consider when moving forward.

The committee hands the student the completed form at the end of the session, so that the student can make copies. The student should give one copy of the form to the doctoral director for internal tracking purposes and to monitor the student’s progress in the program. The student should also prepare a memo summarizing the committee feedback regarding next steps, and they should circulate this memo to the committee members (electronically is fine).

The dissertation advisor and the dissertation committee members have evaluated the dissertation proposal to determine the extent to which it meets the criteria outlined in the doctoral handbook, indicating readiness to begin independent dissertation research.  Our determination is as follows:

Problem Formulation: Problem is formulated in a way that it can be reasonably addressed by research

• Unsatisfactory: Substantial revisions and re-working are necessary to reframe the problem in a way that is appropriate for dissertation research.
• Near Satisfactory: The problem is fairly well defined; however some revisions are needed for the dissertation
• Satisfactory: Problem is well defined and is within the appropriate scope for a dissertation.

Contextual Contribution: Research is well positioned to contribute to theoretical/empirical literature

• Unsatisfactory: Substantial revisions and reworking are necessary; relevant literature is missing or is not used appropriately to frame the research problem.

• Near Satisfactory: Contextual background includes relevant literature, but dissertation will need more integration or additional sources to better inform the problem.

• Satisfactory: Problem and research approach are positioned appropriately within the literature.

Research Design & Methods: Research design, data and/or methods are appropriate

• Unsatisfactory: Research design, data and/or proposed methods are inadequate for the dissertation; research design or methods are inappropriate and/or necessary data is missing

• Near Satisfactory: Research design, data and/or proposed methods are adequate but require some refinement for the dissertation.

• Satisfactory: Research design, data and/or proposed methods are appropriate for dissertation.

Coherence and Consistency: Proposal has a logical flow and is well written and organized

• Unsatisfactory: Proposal does not have a logical flow, and/or it is presented in a way that prevents the committee from following the underlying logic (e.g., poorly written) 

• Near Satisfactory: Proposal has a logical flow, but the presentation of the information needs improvement to allow for better clarity

• Satisfactory: Proposal is well written and has a logical flow

Based on the above, the committee recommends:

• Revisions to the dissertation proposal and a new dissertation proposal presentation
• Revisions to the dissertation proposal document need to be reviewed and approved by the committee, but no need for a new proposal presentation
• No revisions to the dissertation proposal required. Student is ready to proceed with the dissertation, as per the memo summarizing committee feedback

Last Updated 7-29-2024

A. Purpose

The Glenn College PhD Student Small Research Grant program aims to support doctoral students to conduct scholarly research that will ideally result in a publishable paper. Glenn College PhD students may apply for up to $1,000  for a specified research project. This document describes the requirements and process for Glenn College PhD  students to apply for the Small Research Grant.

B. Audience

John Glenn College PhD student

C. Policy and Procedures

POLICY

The College encourages PhD students to pursue scholarly research while enrolled in the doctoral program. The Glenn College PhD Student Small Research Grant will allocate up to $2,000 annually to help support doctoral student research through a competitive application process that will take place during Spring semester of the academic year. Students may submit proposals for research funding of $200 to $1,000. More than one student may be awarded funding in a given competition, not to exceed $2,000 total to be allocated each year. Funds may be used to support a variety of research activities such as the purchase of data, original data collection, and travel expenses related to data collection. Small Research Grant funding cannot be used to cover stipends or supplemental compensation to the  applicant. This funding is not intended to support conference travel expenses. For more information on conference funding, please refer to the PhD Conference Funding Policy and Procedures document.

PROCEDURES

Interested PhD students must apply for the PhD Student Small Research Grant by the spring deadline provided by the Doctoral Studies Chair. The doctoral committee will review applications and announce funding decisions on or before May 1 of each academic year.

To apply for the Small Research Grant, please submit a short proposal to the Director of Doctoral Studies by the deadline provided. The format of the proposal should be double-spaced with one-inch margins and  12-point or larger font size. The proposal should include the following components:

1. 1. A brief research statement (no more than 3 pages inclusive of figures, tables, and appendices)  about the research that describes the problem, methods, expected results, and basic and/or applied significance. The text should reflect both the overall design and current status of the various parts of the research. References may not exceed one additional page beyond the three  pages of text.
   2. A brief work-plan (no more than 1 page) that includes the timeline for conducting the research.
   3. A budget narrative (no more than 0.5 pages) indicating how the Small Research Grant funds will be  used to execute the research activities. This narrative should also explain the significance of this funding (e.g., the purchase of new data, etc.) to the research project. Funds should be spent within  12 months of the award date.

The doctoral program committee will review each application with consideration of the following criteria:

• The articulation of the research problem and its contribution to public affairs
• The appropriateness of the research design and methods
• The feasibility of the work-plan
• The budget and budget justification and significance of this funding to the research project
• The student’s progress in the PhD program. This determination is based predominately on the most recent annual review. Students who are not making adequate progress (per the doctoral handbook) are unlikely to receive Small Research Grant funding.

The Director of Doctoral Studies will notify PhD students of the award decision on or before May 1st. Funded students will coordinate award logistics with the Glenn College Grants and Contracts Specialist.

D. Policy Contact

John Glenn College of Public Affairs

• Katie Vinopal, Associate Professor, vinopal.4@osu.edu
• Kim Young, Chief Administrative Officer/Senior Fiscal Officer, young.1807@osu.edu

Last Updated 7-29-2024

A. Purpose

To establish the guidelines and process for distributing funding to PhD students to support their attendance at research conferences and workshops, which can aid in the professional development of  PhD students while raising the profile of the Glenn College.

B. Audience

Glenn College PhD students

C. Policy and Procedures

POLICY

The College may provide up to $1,000 per year for conference travel, lodging, and registration fees (see allowable expenses, below) to  each PhD student presenting research at academic conferences and workshops, upon approval of the doctoral program director. PhD students may also request College funding to participate in a conference or workshop in a role other than presenter (e.g., doctoral student consortium or panel discussant), but presenting students will receive priority. PhD students may also request College funding to support training opportunities (such as through ICPSR); however, priority is given to students presenting research at conferences, and support for training is contingent on funding availability. The $1,000 budget may be applied across multiple conferences in a year.

Students are required to seek funding for conferences outside of the PhD Student Conference Fund first, including through advisors’ funds (including advisor ISA funds or the College’s Strategic Conference Fund if the student is coauthoring with their advisor), conference sponsorships/awards and other OSU graduate-student funding such as the  Graduate School’s Ray Travel Award. Students who have secured external funding to attend conferences receive priority for subsequent Glenn College funding requests.

Airfare must be booked through the university travel system and will be prepaid using College funds. Conference registration fees can also be pre-paid using College funds. The College will reimburse students  for all other approved expenses upon receipt of the appropriate documentation required by university policy.

PROCEDURES

PhD students interested in receiving College funding to cover conference travel must submit an application to the doctoral program director as early as possible (e.g., immediately after being accepted to a conference). The doctoral program has limited funds to spend on conference travel each year and thus students are not guaranteed to receive funding.

To submit a conference request, please send a one-page memo with the following information by email to

the Director of Doctoral Studies:

1. The conference you will be attending
2. Dates of travel
3. Your role in the conference (presenter, discussant, chair, etc.)
4. The title(s) of your presentation
5. Short explanation of how your involvement in the conference helps further your academic and/or professional goals
6. Have you received conference funding from sources other than the Glenn College for prior conferences? When, how much, and from what source?
7. Have you pursued other funding sources for this conference? When will you be notified of the decision (if not already)? How much funding have you requested (or received) from other sources  for this conference?
8. Have you received Glenn College conference funding in the past? If yes, please list the dates (month and year) of prior College funded conference travel.
9. A travel budget estimate (include allowable expenses, detailed below) and amount you are requesting if different than your estimate. Given limited funds and the possibility of using funds across multiple conference in a year, students are advised to travel frugally (e.g., share a hotel room, if possible, use public transportation or share rides, etc.)
10. Potential days and times for you to do a practice presentation before your trip; please coordinate  this with the Doctoral Student Colloquium Director*

*Students requesting funding to attend training (such as ICPSR) must provide a justification for the training, including how it contributes to their research development, and a rationale for why the skills or  knowledge cannot be obtained through OSU coursework or training opportunities.

The doctoral program director will review each conference funding application with consideration of the following criteria:

• Is the student making adequate progress in the PhD program, as indicated in the doctoral program handbook? This determination is based predominately on the most recent annual review. Students  who are not making adequate progress are unlikely to receive College funding for conference travel.
• Is the conference a core public affairs conference, and will it further the doctoral student’s academic and professional development?
• Has the student applied for or received funding for conference travel outside of the Glenn College  in the past? How often and when?
• For students in their fourth year and beyond, has the student successfully defended a dissertation proposal? Priority within this group of students will be given to fourth year+ students who have successfully defended their proposals and who are on the job market.

The Director of Doctoral Studies will notify PhD students of the decision on conference funding requests by email (with a cc to the Glenn College Fiscal Officer) within two weeks of receiving the request, including the maximum approved dollar amount and list of approved expenses for the specific conference. Once approved, the PhD student must work with a Glenn College Administration and Operations team to set up a Workday Spend Authorization prior to incurring any expenses.

D. Allowable expenses

The following was adapted from the requirements for the OSU Ray Travel Award:

• Travel to and from the site of the conference is reimbursable: airplane tickets, rental car fees (not including gas or mileage), train tickets, bus tickets, etc. If traveling by personal vehicle, mileage will be reimbursed. Transportation at or during the conference is reimbursable, to a maximum of $30/day. Airport parking fees are also reimbursable.  
• Registration fees are reimbursable. This may include food if a banquet or other meal is inseparable from the registration fee.
• Lodging is reimbursable, not to exceed the cost of one night at the conference hotel rate (note that students may choose a lower-cost, nearby hotel or share a room to make best use of these funds).
• Some other costs are reimbursable. These costs include those directly associated with the presentation of research, such as rental of audiovisual equipment at the conference site, supplies for the presentation itself (such as copying, making slides, etc.). These items will be reimbursed at the discretion of the Doctoral Director

The following are not allowable expenses:

• Food (except as noted in item 2, above) will not be reimbursed.
• Alcohol, as per university policy, will not be reimbursed.
• Entertainment expenses will not be reimbursed.

D. Policy Contact

John Glenn College of Public Affairs
Katie Vinopal, Associate Professor, vinopal.4@osu.edu
Kim Young, Chief Administrative Officer/Senior Fiscal Officer, young.1807@osu.edu, 614-292-7221

Check off/list courses taken

• PA Foundation Courses

  • 8000 (3)

  • 8890.01 (2)

  • 8890.02 (1)

  • 8890.03 (1)

  • 8898 (4)

• Public Economics

  • 8050 (3) or 6040 (4)

• Public Management

  • 8040 (3)

• Methods (Fill Blanks)

  • I. PA7571 or equivalent

  • II:_Econ II or equivalent

  • III:______________

  • IV:_______________

• Focus-area Electives  (Fill Blanks)

  • ​​​​​​​I:_______________

  • II:_______________

  • III:______________

*Note: The Doctoral Studies Committee confirms that students have met course requirements for the degree as part of the annual review process. With the committee’s approval, master’s coursework may count toward meeting the methods electives for the equivalents of PA7571 and Econometrics II, as well as for the three focus-area electives.

Total Graduate Credit Hours:  _____

Total Graduate Credit Hours Beyond Master’s:  _____

Dissertation Advisor:

Committee Members:

Completed items require date of completion and advisor signatures:

• First Year Paper
• Candidacy Exam
• Dissertation Proposal
• Dissertation Defense

• Was degree completed within five years after being admitted to candidacy?
• Has Application to Graduate been filed? (No later than the third Friday of the semester in which graduation is expected)                           

Hours, Credits & Grades

• Completion of a minimum of 80 graduate credit hours, at least 50 of which must be beyond the master’s level?
  • Student earned a master’s degree (at Ohio State?)
  • Student earned master’s credit which is able to count for hours beyond the master’s level  _____
• ​​​​​​​Was student registered for at least three graduate credit hours during the semester when the candidacy examination was taken and all semesters subsequent to gaining candidacy? 
• Cumulative graduate GPA at least 3.0?
• Are there any incomplete or missing grades?
• If needed, were GND hours approved by GNC (with letter to Graduate School) to count toward the degree? 
• Any transfer credits from other programs?                            
  • Non-Ohio State?                   
  • Ohio State?                           
  • Counted towards degree?                    

Residency

• After the master’s degree or after the first 30 hours of graduate credit:
  • Were a minimum of 24 graduate credit hours completed at the university?
  • Were a minimum of two consecutive full-time pre-candidacy semesters (or one semester and a summer session with full enrollment) completed at the university?
  • Were a minimum of 6 graduate credit hours over at least two semesters (or one semester and one summer session with full enrollment) completed at the university after admission to candidacy?